Why can’t Rihanna vote in the 2024 US presidential elections?

Rihanna, one of the world’s most recognised pop icons, is sitting this US election out – but not by choice. Despite her immense presence in American pop culture, the Barbadian superstar is not eligible to vote in the 2024 US presidential election. Why? I hear you ask. Well, the simple answer is in the line above.

Rihanna, born in Barbados, isn’t a US citizen. Though she’s lived stateside since 2005, she’s kept her Barbadian citizenship, which excludes her from participating in American elections.

Rihanna says “vote cause I can’t”

Rihanna’s playful frustration over her lack of voting rights recently made waves on social media. In a lighthearted Instagram video, she joked about “trying to sneak into the polls with my son’s passport,” humorously suggesting she’d take any route necessary to cast a vote.

The post, shared with her millions of followers, was both an entertaining jab and a clear nudge to eligible American voters to make their voices heard. Accompanying her message, she used the hashtag “#VoteCauseICant,” a direct call to action from someone who can’t participate herself but sees the value in those who can.

Who is Rihanna supporting: Harris or Trump?

Though Rihanna can’t vote, she hasn’t kept her political opinions to herself. She’s been vocal about her support for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, even going so far as to tag her post with “#TanSuitSeason” – a cheeky nod to Harris’s much-discussed tan suit from the Democratic National Convention.

Given her social activism, from racial justice to women‘s rights, it’s maybe no surprise that her vote, if she had one, would only go one way in 2024.